


Small Price to Pay

by Nixie_DeAngel



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alex doesn't know how to use his words, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Eventually the boys work it out together, Fake Science, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, and Hank doesn't know how to read people, inaccurate science
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:41:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22751941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nixie_DeAngel/pseuds/Nixie_DeAngel
Summary: It’s not that Alex Summers means to be an asshole, it’s just that... well. He is an asshole, and he doesn’t really know how to be any other way, not after all this time and everything he’s been through. What with the car accident, foster care or juvie, the way his powers had manifested and, and probably the most impactful one, prison.So really, he doesn’t want tobeone.He just is.Or, Alex doesn't know how to show Hank he cares like an adult, and not a grade schooler.
Relationships: Hank McCoy/Alex Summers
Comments: 11
Kudos: 74





	Small Price to Pay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [talkativefangirl13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/talkativefangirl13/gifts).



> This was created for the Marvel Reverse Big Bang 2019. 
> 
> Thank you talkativefangirl13, for creating the awesome piece of art (can be found in the fic!) that inspired this story!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this!

Before Charles Xavier had come into his life, Henry McCoy’s biggest worry was anyone — either at work or the _very_ few friends he’d made throughout his life he actively will engage with — discovering his mutated feet. Though, they were easy to hide, so long as he doesn’t take off his socks or shoes — something that, in hindsight, was extremely easy to avoid in view of others — as long as he didn’t spill any kind of chemical or liquid on them. 

Admittedly, a very pressing concern for him to be sure, but still mostly a concern he could manage if he was careful and cautious — which usually, was his default setting in social settings and everyday life.

So, overall, it was something easy to avoid, and with how people took in his gangly limbs, his soft, shy personality and his thick-rimmed glasses, and just seemed to deem him unworthy of getting to know better — unless of course, they needed him to pluck some far-fetched idea from his brain and bring it into a reality for their benefit — he could easily misdirect them before they could get close enough and catch on he _had_ something _worth_ hiding.

Well, worth hiding beyond his sexuality, which was another whole other thing that had him twice as paranoid and wary around people. 

But then Charles Xavier had come waltzing in, bringing with him Raven and Erik, and then he’d proceeded to flip-flop Hank’s entire life, while _also_ accidentally revealing his mutation to his superior and colleague — who’d thankfully taken it in stride and had seemed genuinely excited to learn that Hank _had_ a mutation, even one as genetically ugly as Hank’s was. 

And everything Hank knew, or thought he did at least, had _changed_.

It takes him a few days to wrap his mind around it and to figure out if the changes are good ones or not. 

While Hank finds some downfalls — Darwin being _murdered_ by Shaw and Angel choosing to side with that monster; him mutating himself into a big, blue furred monster all in the name to cure himself; Raven picking Erik and his ideals over Charles and their family — to be difficult to overcome, they drive him to fight harder for the good ones.

The good ones that made it... not worth it, but have certainly softened the failures considerably — like finding others like himself, finding others to call his friends, to call his _family_ . Helping Charles, Alex, and Shawn turn Charles’ childhood home into a school, a safe-haven for mutants helps more than words can describe. Getting to help build a safe environment where they can bring the lost and lonely they find; getting to teach the next generation, bonding and passing on his knowledge of sciences and maths to the children under his care, under _their_ care. 

Though the good ones take time, take weeks and months _after_ the bad ones, to come and give them all a new hope to their lives.

But they _did_ come and show him — and Alex, and Sean, and Charles too — there was still good in the world, there was still hope for their dreams of a future where the world could one day accept mutants. 

And now, nearly two years, since Charles had barged in and irrevocably changed his life, Hank doesn’t have to worry about people finding out about his feet — what with him being blue, furry and _bigger_ , his feet were the last of his worries.

Now he just needs to worry about wrangling the students, during his classes and from blowing up his lab — and the mansion — when they sneak into and try to play mad scientist.

And, well, Hank muses, he still has to worry about Alex and his never ending snarky jabs about his big feet and blue fur, all said with that half smirk, half smile of his. 

The one that makes Hank’s heart one to skip a beat, and the rest of him to go punch something.

Flitting in and out of his labs and class to make them, even.

In front of the children, who he’s trying to get to take him seriously, because after all, shouldn’t teachers be _taken_ seriously? Or was that just supposed to be Charles, the only actual professor among them? Maybe it _is_ just supposed to be Charles, then.

Which is why he finds himself sitting on his stool, shrouded in the darkness of his lab as he feels tries — once again — to tell himself the hurt tugging at his heart meant nothing, because Alex meant _nothing_ to him, right? He was only a colleague, a follow mutant who helped them run the school and tend to their numerous charges.

And he absolutely was _nothing_ more to Hank than that. Not even a friend. Not even... _anything_ , nor would he ever be.

 _Liar_ , his traitor-ish mind whispers to him as he mutely frowns down at the folders and pads of paper scattered in front of him on his desk, _you_ want _him to be so much more to you than what he_ is.

Shaking his head, he tells himself firmly, that no, no he doesn’t want Alex to be more, he doesn’t want Alex to smile, soft and sweet at him — like he does when dealing with the younger kids and no else can see him softening. That he doesn’t want Alex to murmur quietly in his ear that he’s lovely and magnificent, telling him all the other things that Jean and the other girls sigh about when they watch a romance scene play out on the television while they ignore their assigned homework. That he doesn’t want Alex to do these things and so much more, _with_ him, _too_ him. 

Letting out a sigh, that sounds more like a sob, Hank brings his hands up to run harshly at his eyes, ignoring the way his lashes were wet from the tears he refuses to let fall and takes only a moment to let his heartache and pain to encompass all of him before he buries and locks his feelings back in the dark corners of his mind and composes himself. Once he knows for sure he’s in control of himself, he makes himself move, grabbing folders and notes so he can spend the rest of his free day losing himself in his research and science — and away from feelings that cripple him in a way he doesn’t know how to handle. He lets himself get lost in his work, to forget the world outside of his lab, to forget the pain in his heart for hours.

Until he’s startled out of the zone, he’s in by three loud bangs that shake the wooden door of his lab. He has just enough time to pull his face back from his microscope, letting his glasses slip from his forehead back down onto his face as the doors thrown up and Alex Summers himself saunters into the room, carrying a tray — of what Hank can determine smells like baked chicken, mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes. Scrunching up his face, Hank only lets himself wonder for a moment on why Alex looks to be bringing him dinner, when he feels — and hears — his stomach let out a rumbling growl, letting him know he’s missed dinner. 

Again.

“Honestly, Bozo,” Alex starts, voice half scolding, half teasing. His lips twisted up into a smirk as he shoots the other a look as he uses his foot to kick the door closed before he moves to drop the tray of food on a section of the counter that looks the safest. “For all your mother hennin’, you sure don’t take your own advice when it comes to self care.”

“I, I, I,” Hank stutters before clamping his mouth shut. He thanks science for the fact his face can no longer show when he flushes, like he is right now. “I got caught up in work,” he murmurs, quiet as he plucks his glasses off, cleaning them for the sake of not having to look at the other mutant.

Hank listens as he chuckles and moves off to another section of counter and shoves some things to the side before he climbs up onto it. “Figured as much. Charles made sure we set a plate aside for you. Then asked me to bring it down when it was clear you’d forgotten all about coming up to eat.” He lets the silence settle for a moment. “What’re you workin’ on today, Beast?”

Hank suppresses the urge to flinch at the nickname — he knows, he _knows_ that none of them mean it like he thinks they should. “Updating our suits, mostly Sean’s since he’s ripped the wings on both his main and backup suit. Plus, I’d thought I’d take the initiative and start getting measurements for some of our older students, especially the ones asking about going out on missions with us, like Cecilia Reyes and Alison Blaire.” Hank glances over to see Alex nodding, face pensive. 

“Still,” Alex calls out as he Hank moves over towards his dinner, “Smart idea to have spare suits for us. Charles probably won’t be happy, but smart nonetheless.”

Hank only nods once slowly, before speeding through his dinner, half mindful of _not_ eating like the animal he appeared to be and half on the fact Alex was _here_ , in his space. Just... watching him from where he was sitting. Once done eating, he moves to cover the plate as he shuffles back to where he’d sat early, firmly intending to get back to what he’d been working on, when he notices that Alex had hopped down at some point and was looking around at the things strewn over the counters and tables.

The other lets out a hum as he glances up from the book to send Hank a look, “Hmm? What, oh no, man. Just haven’t seen you in a few weeks. Thought it’d be nice to hangout.” He pauses, face flickering to fast between expressions for Hank to decipher them before his face settles on something that makes him look weary. “That’s okay, right? I mean. If you need me gone man, that’s cool, Bozo, I get it. I just thought.”

“What? Oh, oh no, that’s, um, that’s fine. I just.” Hank glances around before turning back to finish his dinner, feeling his ears twitch as Alex lets out a low, throaty chuckle.

“If you’re sure, Beast.”

Hank only nods once slowly, before speeding through his dinner, half mindful of _not_ eating like the animal he appeared to be and half on the fact Alex was _here_ , in his space. Just... watching him from where he was sitting. Once done eating, he moves to cover the plate as he shuffles back to where he’d sat early, firmly intending to get back to what he’d been working on, when he notices that Alex had hopped down at some point and was looking around at the things strewn over the counters and tables.

Deeming it harmless, Hank moves his attention back towards his microscope to check the fibre strength, he’s hoping to find the create a combination of tinsel and chemicals to make their suits bullet proof, when he hears Alex make a curious noise.

“Hey, what’s this thing do?”

Glancing over before moving to look down the scope again, Hank freezes before whipping his head up, mouth dropping open to snarl out, “Don’t touch that,” far louder than he intended too. At the sharpness of his growl, Hank watches almost helplessly as Alex jerks back in surprise, fingers pressing the bright red button on the side of the prototype gun.

“No!” He shouts, spinning on his seat, hands stretched out as he reaches far too late to stop Alex from fumbling with the gun — then all Hank can see is a bright light, all he can feel is intense and blinding pain. He faintly hears what he thinks might have been Alex shouting out in surprise or horror, but before he can try to determine which it is, Hank’s world blessedly goes dark as he passes out.

* * *

It’s not that Alex means to be an asshole, it’s just that... well. He is an asshole, and he doesn’t really know how to be any other way, not after all this time and everything he’s been through. What with the car accident, foster care or juvie, the way his powers had manifested and, and probably the most impactful one, prison. 

So really, he doesn’t want to _be_ one.

He just is.

And after all these years, he couldn’t be anything else, even if he knew how to try and be anything else.

Probably _why_ he continuously pulled at Hank’s none existent pigtails and not talk to him like, like someone who knew how to deal with feelings would. Even if he’s constantly calling the other man Bozo, or makes remarks about his feet and fur and being blue — even if it’s the prettiest shade of blue Alex’s ever seen, or that Hank’s fur is the softest thing he’s ever felt. Not, of course that Alex goes around petting the other, really, he’s not _that_ much of a creepy asshole, he just knows what it feels like because of training and the few missions they’ve run. 

That’s all.

Okay, Alex amends in his mind as he spins on his heel and stalks towards the other end of the hallway, _maybe_ _—_ just maybe _—_ _he’s carded his fingers through when trying to skirt around Hank in the kitchen, or the hallways or in the changing room_. But never for long and never in, like a creepy way. It’s not like he’s gone out of his way, purposely putting himself in Hank’s way just so he could sink his fingers in that thick, soft silkiness.

Shut up Charles, Alex snaps because he just knows Charles is probably laughing at him. Or, well, he would be, Alex mentally sighs forlornly as he glances at the closed door of the infirmary, if Charles wasn’t currently trying to determine what Alex had done to Hank with… whatever that gun-thing had been.

Bringing his hand up, he lets himself back up against the wall and sink down into a crouch, and scrubs roughly at his face.

 _God,_ Alex growls at himself, _he’s such an asshole_ . It’s a wonder how he can even function like a _person_ most days. Moving his head back, he thumbs it harshly against the wall, once, then twice but before he can go for a third time, Alex feels somebody slide down the wall to sit next to him on the floor.

“So you messed up, man.”

Sean. Of course it was Sean, why is Alex even surprised. The only other people in the mansion that had no problems, or scared too, call him out on his shit were currently indisposed because Alex was a colossal dumbass who couldn’t communicate like a functioning adult.

“Like, seriously. How do you seem to do this kinda stuff to yourself, man?”

“Ugh, Sean,” Alex half whines, half growls out threateningly. “Don’t, dude, just. Just don’t right now. Okay? Please just, don't.”

“Sure man, sure.” Sean hums softly and waits a beat before he speaks up again. “So half the kids think you’ve done this because you actually hate him, and the others, mostly the girls and Bobby, think you just have absolutely no romantic game. At all.”

Bringing his head up, he smacks it back into the wall again. “I’m pretty sure all of them are right,” he pouts. “God, seriously, why is this so hard?”

“Acting like a rational adult around him or flirting with him in a way that is a fifth-grade boy meets middle school boy?”

“Both? Either? I don’t even know anymore, Sean.”

Before he can get his answer, the door opens and Charles comes wheeling out before shutting the door behind him, causing both Sean and Alex to scramble up off the floor.

Alex lets out a small whimper, because either way, he knows he’s screwed six ways to Sunday. Why couldn’t he just not keep screwing up when it came to Hank? Why?

“Well, the good news, chaps, is that Hank will live, and with some time he’ll be completely back to normal,” Charles starts, his voice filled with false cheer and his smile brittle as his eyes flick between Sean and Alex. “But unfortunately, you must help him cover his classes for a week. Two at the most.”

“He’s okay, right? I didn’t accidentally kill him?” Alex blurts out, voice strangled with relief and worry.

Charles tilts his head and sends him a soft smile, “No, Alex, you didn’t kill him.” Pausing, Charles glances back towards the closed door, before turning to look back up at them. “I think it’ll be easier to explain to you both with Hank present.”

Sean and Alex jump slightly at the loud thump against the wooden door, brows shooting up in question as they look down at Charles in alarm.

“It’s all right,” Charles smiles, a little more tightly at the as he moves a little ways down the hall to have enough room to turn his chair around fully without accidentally running over toes — something he only did to Alex or Sean if they were being particularly difficult to deal with. So, really, Charles only crushed some toes once or twice a month these days — and started towards the door Alex had moved over to open. 

Following the professor, Alex anxiously glanced around the room, working himself up when he couldn’t seem to locate his — no, not _his_ — Hank. “Holy shit, did I turn Hank invisible?” Alex asks, voice high and shrill as he swings his head this way and that, eyes going wide with worry the longer he can’t spot Hank.

“You didn’t turn me invisible, Alex,” a small voice growls, causing Sean and Alex to jump, again, both their heads whipping around towards the sound coming from beneath the infirmary bed.

Blinking in confusion, Alex goes to open his mouth, to say something — probably something that will make Hank hate him even more and Charles to sigh in disappointment — but before he can, a small, oh god, so _small_ blue, furry body comes shuffle from out beneath the bed. “You've just shrunk me.”

“ _HANK_?” Alex yells, voice high and definitely shrill now as he stares down in disbelief.

Two days later, Alex paces in front of Hank’s closed, wooden door before he seems to gather himself enough to give a tentatively soft knock as he speaks softly, but loud enough to so that Hank could hear him through the thick door. “Hey man, I’m sorry, okay? I’m really, _really_ sorry about what I did and what happened because I’m a dumbass.”

The answering silence is — at least in Alex’s opinion — somehow judgier then the look the Professor had leveled with him after the accident had happened.

Though, Alex thinks, that look might have also been because Alex had come pretty damn close to losing control of his powers when he’d watched Hank drop like he had — something he hadn’t done in years. Shit, since _before_ prison really — so maybe he’d deserved that look. Maybe. Just. It’d be a stressfully ten minutes, Alex freaking out while he’d waited for someone, _anyone_ , to show up and fix whatever he’d done to Hank on accident.

Sighing, he brings his right hand up to scrub at his face, while raking the fingers of his left through his blonde locks. “Hank, I _really am_ sorry. I didn’t know what the thing, gun, whatever the hell it was, could do, all right? And I know you told me not to touch it, but, like, man, I’m sorry, okay?”

Again, silence is his only answer. Not that he’d really been expecting anything. And not that he deserved to _get_ anything either, considering Hank had to spend the next week, or two, being less than a foot tall.

Although, the professor and Hank had theorized that as time went on, he’d grow here and there, like growth spurts, until he returned to his original size.

God, Alex hoped they were right, and that’s exactly what happened to Hank.

Moving to let his head thunk harshly against the door, he let out a soft sigh of defeat. “Okay. I’m just gonna, I’m gonna leave you alone now, ‘cause I get it, you don’t want me around. And, really, I don’t blame you Hank, I don’t. So just, just know I really _am_ sorry and that I’ll steer clear as I can from here on out.” He lets himself stay there, hopeful even though knowing the door wouldn’t open — not for him at least — before his shoulders drop as he pushes himself off the door and moves to turn and slink away to go lick his wounded pride in peace.

Maybe see if he could get some extra ice cream from Jean, Ororo, Jubilee and Cecilia, they all seemed to feel for him and his stupid, dumb self with what was going on between him and Hank.

But before he could move to take a step away, Alex heard the door crack open and a small hand tug at his pants leg. Glancing down, Alex felt some tension leave his frame, just seeing Hank. Not that Alex hadn’t trusted the professor, and Hank, but seeing the other with his own two eyes, was so much better for his peace of mind, then just hearing that Hank was doing okay, all things considered.

“Get in here,” Hank squeaks, somehow still sounding like Hank and not at the same time. 

Though, not that Alex would _ever_ admit it out loud, knowing Hank would retaliate for knowing Alex thought this, he sounded cute, with his half growl/squeak he seemed to be only capable of doing at this size.

Following him into his room, Alex can’t help but to glance around, seeing the _things_ Hank’s created to be able to navigate his room without assistance, the contraption to help him open, and close, his door, Alex can’t help but blink and grin at the ingenious of it before taking in a few of the other things Hank’s built himself.

“I know you’re sorry,” Hank starts, catching Alex’s attention from the staircase of books he’s built to use his armchair as a bed. “And I know, you didn’t mean to press the button on the gun.” Here Hank pauses, pulling off his glasses and cleans them off with his shirt.

So they shrunk with him, Alex thinks, a little hysterically.

“And,” Hank continues, “I know I didn’t help, with me snapping at you, the way I did.”

“It’s, its.” Alex tries to start but has to stop with how his throat feels dry. “I’m so sorry,” he croaks out instead. “I really, really am.”

Letting out a whiny sounding sigh, Hank slips his glasses back on and shakes his head up at Alex before moving to climb up the staircase of books, and then climbs up onto the arm rest before leaping from it to the small couch's armrest. Once there, he slides down the arm to the cushion before settling down and patting the space next to him.

Gingerly, Alex lets himself sink down onto the other end of the couch, so as to not jostle Hank too much. Clearing his throat, he glances down at the tiny blue man before looking at his knees as he moves to curl his hands around them.

“Alex,” Hank starts, tiny face serious and voice as solemn sounding as he can make it. “You need not keep apologizing to me for what happened. I know it was an accident, and that you would never have intently done this to me, or to anyone, for that matter.”

Staring down at the back of his hands for a long moment, Alex jokes weakly in a hoarse voice, “Maybe to Erik or Azazel. On purpose I mean, I’d definitely hit them with this on purpose.”

Hank lets out a squeak of laughter in response. “I’m sure there are a few people, both in this mansion and in the world, that would like to use my shrink gun on those two.”

Alex lets out a bark of laughter, nodding in agreement with Hank. Eventually though, he lets it trail off awkwardly as he glances to the side before peering back down. “I’m gonna stop coming to bug you in your lab,” he rushes out, “I know you don’t, don’t like me down there anyway, so I’m gonna stop bugging you. There and in your classrooms. Where you shouldn’t have to deal with me and my issues. So I, I’ll stop. Because, because obviously, it’s so obvious, that, that I just bother you and. And I know I’m an asshole, I know that, so-”

“Alex?” Hank tries to call out, but he’s ignored as Alex barrels on and on about how Alex knows that Hank only just seems to tolerate him. So he tries again, louder this time. “Alex!”

“And I get it, really I do. Because honestly, I’m an asshole, and I’ve been nothing but an asshole to you since we met. Y’know? Cause I have. So I didn’t, and never, I swear, never expected you to return my feelings. Like. I get it. I treat you badly. But like, I thought it was flirting and playful but it never was. And I tried to make it playful but I don’t know how to do that! So really, I just, I get it. I do. So this is me admitting defeat and letting you know I’ll stop. I’ll stop bothering you and you don’t have to worry about my feelings, I’ll. I’ll not bring that around you, I swear I won’t. So, I’m just sorry, about everything Hank. I really am.”

Oh God, Alex thinks, he's word vomited his feelings _to_ Hank about _Hank!_ Oh God, oh god!

And Alex, so intent on trying not to notice Hank, that he doesn’t even notice as the little blue mutant lets out an irritated huff and shoves himself up, moving over to literally climb onto Alex and then up until he’s sitting on the blond’s shoulder.

He only notices that Hank’s moved, only registers that he’s on his shoulder, when Hank grabs a hold of Alex’s hair and ear and bellows in his small, squeaky voice directly into Alex’s ear, effectively cutting the larger mutant off mind sentence.

Jerking up, Alex scoops Hank off his shoulder and carefully holds him out in front of himself. “Hank?” Alex murmurs, staring in confusion at the other.

“You wouldn’t shut up,” Hank snaps, wiggling until Alex moves to place him back down on the couch. “You just kept going on, and I tried but you wouldn’t stop and let me speak.”

Eyeing the other, Alex feels his face flush — probably turning a bright pink — and he inclines his head to the other man. “Sorry,” he whispers, sheepishness intertwined with a heavy dose of self-deprecation.

“You’ll let me speak now?” Hank inquires, more demands really.

Bringing his right hand up, Alex nods as he rubs at the side of his neck, “Yeah, sorry, I-” he grimaces and then nods again.

Hank peers up at him for a long moment, as if daring or waiting, for Alex to speak up and steam roll the conversation again. Satisfied he wasn’t going to, Hank seemed to fidget as he stared at the other. “I think,” he starts, “I think this is a conversation we should have once I’m back to normal.”

“Oh,” Alex mumbles. “Uh, okay?”

“Yes,” Hank nods, firm and sure. “But until then,” he starts after an awkward moment. Pushing himself up, he proceeds to climb back up Alex and settle on his shoulder. “I’m going to need a ride to the kitchen,” he grins cheekily.

Letting out a strangled sounding laugh, Alex nods as he carefully pushes himself to stand, shuffling in hesitant steps to the door. “Just, uh, hold on, I guess?”

“I thought I’d let go,” Hank replies dryly, causing Alex to let loose another laugh, his hand coming up to carefully pin Hank's legs to his clavicle.

* * *

As predicted by Hank, the shrinking only lasts a week and a half, and every two days, he went through a growth spurt. Thankfully, they’d been like normal childhood growth spurts in terms of pain. Though, that didn’t mean the time he’d spent shrunk hadn’t been awkward.

Or humiliating when it’d come to the kids. 

Not that they’d been cruel or anything, but it was definitely going to be troublesome when he took his classes back over, because Hank was without a doubt in his mind that his students would be hard pressed to take him serious after seeing him climb up the bookcases or the furniture like he’d had to do.

But now, now he was back to his six foot plus body and he felt smaller than he’d been somehow as he stood in front of Alex’s bedroom door. God, he’d felt more certain and sure when he’d been less than two feet tall than he did right now.

Slowly, so slowly so he’d have the time to take himself out of it if he wanted too, he brought his hand up to wrap his knuckles against the door but before he could either talk himself into doing it or out; the door flew open to reveal a startled looking Alex. 

“Hank,” he rumbled quietly, eyes widening as he took in the other mutant.

Swallowing, Hank nods, before mumbling out, “Alex.”

They stood there, staring at one another for a long few moments before the thunderous sounds of the children's feet slapping against the wood floors jolted them out of their stupor. 

“May I, um, may I come in?” he asks shyly.

“Uh, yeah, yes, come in,” Alex nods, a little dumbly as he steps aside to let Hank slip in before closing the door after him. 

They stand there instead, still just staring at one another before Hank awkwardly clears his throat loudly, grimacing at the too loud sound in the otherwise quiet bedroom.

"So, um, you really never did learn how to properly convey your romantic interest in someone, like an adult?" Hank asks, voice soft and hesitant as he shifts on his feet, hands wringing together in front of him as he looks at Alex from beneath his lashes.

"No, Bozo," Alex answers, more in a huff than anything else. “I never did.”

Rolling his shoulders, Hank watches as the other, eyes him for a long moment before he seemed to fold in on himself, as if steeling himself against Hank. 

As if Hank could cause him pain.

“Never learned,” he finishes gruffly before clearing his throat. “You won’t have to worry any more. Or well, not anymore, but for at least a few weeks,” he continues, “I talked to Charles, and he agreed to send me out for visits and recruits of new students for a few weeks. So you won’t. Won’t have to deal with me. And just.”

“What?” Hank cuts in loudly, confused as he stares at the other. “What?” he asks again.

Bringing his hands up to rub at his face, a touch to roughly from the grimace he gives once his hands fall away, Alex eyes him for a beat before he seems to fold in on himself, just a little. “Look,” Alex goes to start, but Hank cuts him off with an annoyed huff. 

“No, no, you don’t, you don’t get to do that,” Hank snaps, hands moving to his sides, curling into fists as he stares hard at the other man. “You don’t get to _assume_ what I‘ll say and act accordingly. You will hear _me_ out first, Alex!”

“Why?” Alex nearly snarls back at him, “Look. I know what you’re gonna say, so why not just, just don’t be a _dick_ or, or _me_ about it, okay?”

Letting out a near subvocal growl, Hank rumbles out a faint, “Fuck it,” before he stalks over, backing Alex fully against his bedroom door, causing the smaller man to tilt his head back so he had to look up at Hank. Staring for just a few seconds, Hank lowers his head just pauses right before his lips touch Alex’s and asks in a soft growl, “May _I_ kiss _you_ , Alex? May I _taste_ you?”

“I’m so confused right now,” Alex whimpers out, as he stares up at Hank with his big blue eyes. “What’s happening right now?”

“I’m asking to taste you,” Hank rumbles out softly, his lips brushing Alex’s as they move, “I’m asking to kiss you, because you won’t let me talk, let me tell you what _I_ feel for _you_ , I’m asking to _show_ you.”

“Oh,” Alex mumbles, pressing his head back against the door as his tongue pokes out to wet his lips, just barely grazing Hank’s as he does so. “Oh.”

“So may I, Alex? May I taste you?”

“Yeah, yeah, you can, you can totally do that,” Alex tries to say, tries to get out but Hank only really lets him say yeah, before he’s closing the distance, before he’s devouring Alex’s mouth in a firm, long bruising kiss. 

After a moment, he pulls back, breathing harshly as he stares, watching as Alex’s eyes slowly flutter open. “We will talk about this. All of this, including feelings. Later.”

"Sure," Alex mumbles before moving his hands up, "We'll totally do that." Carding his fingers through Hank’s thick fur before grabbing it and bringing his face back down to crash against Alex’s.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm Nixie! You can find me where I post the things I [create](https://nixies-creations.tumblr.com/), or at my main blog [here](http://nixie-deangel.tumblr.com/)!


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